The Social Assistant service has been provided for five years so far, following the MiziaTownMunicipality’s winning of a project withtheDisabled People Assistants (DPA) National Programme of the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy.

16 social assistants were employed on the DPA National Programme in 2005;

26 social assistants were employed on the DPA National Programme in 2006;

6 social assistants were employed on the DPA National Programme in 2007

6 social assistants were employed on the DPA National Programme in 2008;

6 social assistants were employed on the DPA National Programme in 2009.

Within the framework of the approved project for 2009, six social assistants were involved in supporting the daily lives of 13 persons having a decreased working capacity of 90% or higher and, therefore, entitled to external assistance.

Cares for these individuals include as follows:

Purchasing of food stuffs, toiletry and basic commodities;

Preparation or provision of food (as required by the client);

Support and accompany the person in cases of documents submission to various government or municipal institutions;

Assistance during social events, realization of social contacts, organizing of celebrations, etc.

The programme provides opportunities for the assisted individuals to regain their feeling for life, their awareness of the cares on behalf of the state and municipality for the individuals with disability. Within the framework of the programme they can identify their needs and sign a joint plan for the service to be made available. Individuals eligible to obtain the Social Assistant service shall have 90% or higher decreased working capacity, allocation of the right to use external assistance or solitary living people. They can be included in the programme after filing an application to the Social Assistance Directorate in the town of Mizia and following an assessment of their needs.

HumanResourcesDevelopmentOperatingProgramme

Project entitled: Independence and Dignity in the Lives of People with Disability or Solitary Living People on the Territory of the MiziaMunicipality

The MiziaMunicipality has implemented a project within the Human Resources Development Operating Programme, with activities including Social Assistance and Household Assistance, Phase 1. The project lasted a year (01.07.2008 to 30.06.2009). Eight social assistants and 13 household assistants looked after 56 old-age solitary people and people with disability.

The main objective of the project implementation team was to enhance the quality of life of the lonely people within the Mizia municipality through providing conditions for them to effect their right of independence and inclusion in social life, which also involved exercising their right to labour and reducing the risk of dependence on institutional cares.

Specific goals: Enhancement and improvement of the Social Assistant and Household Assistant services to people requiring permanent assistance in their daily lives; Mitigating the risk of dependence on institutional cares for individuals needing assistance and social inclusion through preventing the risk of support for re-integration; Creating actual opportunities for persons with various disabilities to be active and take independent decisions about organizing their daily lives; Improving the professional skills and motivation of the social and household assistants through further training; Improving the efficiency of the key stakeholder institutions’ participation in the programme implementation process.

On 13.01.2010, the MiziaMunicipality submitted to the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, in connection with the Human Resources Development Operating Programme, Phase 3, the project entitled INDEPENDENCE AND DIGNITY FOR THE LIVES OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITY OR SOLITARY LIVING PEOPLE ON THE TERRITORY OF THE MIZIA MUNICIPALITY

Social Services in a Family Environment National Programme

In January 2009, the Mizia municipality started providing the Household Assistant service, as part of the Social Services in a Family Environment National Programme. Ten household assistants took part in the programme and looked after 52 old-age people and people with disabilities without severing them from their family environment.

The household assistants provided the following services:

Current cleaning of the living premises – tidying up the rooms; cleaning the floor; beating the carpets; dusting; washing-up, etc.

Personal hygiene cares – help with daily toilet and dressing; assistance with bathing; help with hair combing, haircutting, hair dying, shaving; or, accompanying the person to the places where such services are offered.

Feeding – preparation of meals with food products supplied by the person assisted; delivery of cooked meals; preparation for and help in the process of eating, serving the dishes and clearing the table;

Purchasing of comestibles, materials, medicines and basic commodities with payment ensured by the person taken care of;

Small scale repairs in the house and/or assistance for their performance;

On request for additional specific household services, it is possible that the household assistant should perform these with his agreement and at the discretion of the employer. Services may include: thorough house cleaning with washing of doors, windows, bathroom facilities, kitchen equipment, etc., as well as seasonal services such as timber cutting, taking fuel materials inside the house, stove lighting, snow clearing, etc.